US forces carried out an air strike on combatants who were attempting to launch drones that were deemed a threat to American and allied troops, a US official said.
Iraq condemned the air strike, describing it as a 鈥榟einous crime鈥� that could have 鈥榙angerous鈥� consequences amid ongoing talks on the future of the US-led anti-jihadist coalition in the country.
The strike鈥攚hich Iraqi sources said left at least four people dead鈥攚as the first by American forces in Iraq since February, when the US military said it killed a pro-Iran commander who was involved in attacks on the country鈥檚 troops.
鈥楾onight, US forces in Iraq conducted a defensive air strike鈥� in Babylon province 鈥榯argeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems鈥�, the US defence official said on condition of anonymity.
The official added that the Central Command assessed that the drones 鈥榩osed a threat to US and coalition forces鈥�.
鈥榃e maintain the inherent right to self-defence and will not hesitate to take appropriate action,鈥� the official added.
An official from the alliance told AFP that 鈥榝our people were killed and others were critically wounded鈥�. A security source confirmed the toll.
General Yehia Rasool, the military spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister, described the strike as a 鈥榟einous crime and blatant aggression鈥�.
He added in a statement that it came despite reaching 鈥榓dvanced stages鈥� in talks on ending the US-led coalition鈥檚 mission in Iraq and 鈥榯ransitioning to a bilateral security relationship鈥�.
鈥楽uch serious and uncalculated transgressions can significantly undermine all efforts... of joint security work to combat鈥� the Islamic State group, Rasool said.
鈥楾hey also risk dragging Iraq and the entire region into dangerous conflicts and wars. Therefore, we hold the coalition forces fully responsible for these consequences.鈥�
Kataeb Hezbollah, a powerful pro-Iran group and part of the Hashed al-Shaabi, said the US strike targeted a 鈥榞roup of drone experts who were carrying out new tests鈥� to improve their surveillance drones.
The group added in a statement that it intended to use the surveillance drones to support Iraqi security forces next month during the Arbaeen commemoration鈥攐ne of the biggest Shiite religious events which marks the 40th day of mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
It also said 鈥榠t would make the appropriate decision after consulting鈥� with other groups, and urged the Iraqi government to 鈥榚nd the occupation鈥欌�攔eferring to the presence of US forces in Iraq.
Kataeb Hezbollah is also part of the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, a loose alliance of pro-Iran groups that had claimed attacks on US troops, most recently over the Gaza war, before suspending them in late January.
The United States considers Kataeb Hezbollah a 鈥榯errorist鈥� group and has repeatedly targeted it.
